Wagon running-gear.



PATENIED DEC. 25, 1906.

J. R. HALL. WAGON RUNNING GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 23, 1906.

avwentoz, (75/ 223 flail,

0,, WASHINGION, B4 c c s n r E F m R R a u s n T UNITE El STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. HALL, OF DE MOSS SPRINGS, OREGON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF ro' ROBERT J. emu,

OF M ORO, OREGON.

WAGON RUNNING-GEAR.

To all whom it 'may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN R. HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at De Moss Springs, in the county of Sherman and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVagon Running- Gears, of which the following is a specification. V

This invention has relation to the runninggear of wagons generally, and especially such vehicles as are equipped with a reach or coupling pole.

It is the object of the invention to provide simple and economical means for reducing the friction between the bolster and the sandboard forming its bearing and between the reach and the curved bar connected with the hounds forming the forward bearing therefor.

The invention consists of improvements in the parts mentioned and other parts combined therewith, which have been modified in their construction and relationships so as to best reach the ends aimed at.

The drawings hereto .annexed, with the figures of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and are to be referred to as such, of which drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of so much of the running-gear of a wagon as it is necessary to show in order to fully explain the iniprovements. Fig. 2. is a plan view of the same with the bolster and the iron plate on the bottom thereof removed. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of a part of the reach, and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a part of Fig. 3.

Similar figures designate similar parts or features, as the case may be, wherever they occur.

It is a fact so well understood by those using wagons which draw heavy loads as to scarcely need reciting here that much trouble in the way of breakage, wearing out of parts, strain upon the running-gear as a whole, loss of time, and draft upon the energies of the team employed is occasioned by the friction between the bolster and its bearings and the reach and its bearings. It is understood that efforts more or less successful have been made to overcome these di'fliculties but in heavy draft-wagons where there is no room for the application of additional devices without disturbing the entire structure, and where tampering with existing means to introduce Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 25, 1906.

1906. Serial No. 297,453.

adequate and efficient antifriction means, the task of carrying out the purposes of this invention is far from easy or ready of accomplishment, nor is the manner in which it may be done self-suggestive or obvious. In lightru-nning vehicles embodying real fifth-wheels in their construction the exigency of reducing friction is more easily met, because of the room afforded therefor and the practical absence of liability of reducing the strength of the parts ailected. l/Vith these facts in view the description of the improvements may be proceeded with with the assurance that the importance of the said improvements will be appreciated.

In the drawings, 1 designates the axle or usual wood portion thereof, and 2 is the sand-board thereon.

3 is an iron or steel plate on the sandboard which forms the direct bearing for the iron or steel plate 4, connected with the bot tom of the bolster 5. The rear end of the reach or couplin -pole 6 passes between the axle and the san( -board, and the king-bolt 7 passes vertically through all of the parts mentioned, having its head countersunk in the upper face of the bolster.

The hounds are constructed and arranged as is common, the bars 8 extending forward from the axle and inclining outwardly at their forward ends, which are connected by the segmental or slightly-curved bar 9, forming a bearing for the reach. A further connecting and staying means for the bars 8 of the hounds exists in the straight bar 10, supported on and connected at its ends with short standards 11, extending up from the said bars 8 above the reach. The curved bar 9 may, as is usual, be provided on its upper side with a steel or iron plate 12.

I form the steel or iron plate 4, which rests upon the sandboard, by notching its ends and forming longitudinal grooves 13 in the part extending inward beyond the notch, which grooves are separated by partitions 14, composed of intact parts of the said plate 4, or the said partitions 14 may be formed in any other suitable or desired manner. In the said grooves or slots 13 I arrange antifriction-rollers 15, that may have journals 16 on their ends, which journals at one end extend into bearings consisting of holes 17,

inner edge-of the flanged inset plates 18. The said inset plates consist of relatively small plates of iron or steel reduced at their inner central parts, so as to fit in the notches formed in the ends of the plate 4, as aforesaid. The outer part of the plates 18 project at their sides, so as to form flanges 19, which extend across the intact ends of the plate 4 to a line coincident with the sides of said last-mentioned plate. The inset plates are secured in place in any suitable way.

The reach 6 at the point where it bears on the curved bar 9 has blocks 21, secured thereto by headed bolts 22 and nuts 23, turned on their screw-threaded ends, which blocks are provided in their inner sides with holes forming bearings for the journals formed on the ends of the long antifriction-rollers 25, arranged to roll on the bearing-plate 1.2 on the curved bar 9; The said rollers are long enough to keep them on the said bearingplate 12 as the bearing-point on the reach describes an arc of a circle, as it were, on the bar 9 as it moves from side to side.

In the use of wagons employing runninggearing like or the substantial equivalent of what is shown inthe annexed drawings withoutspecial means to obviate the irictionbetween the plates 3 and 4 when the wagon is loaded it sometimes requires almost the entire energy or strength of the team to turn the front axle with respect to the Wagon-bed or bolster, and it requires a strong and heavy reach to withstand the strain at such times. Again, under ordinary constructions the friction between the reach and the plate on the curved bar 9 is so great as to wear out the said plate in two years of ordinary use, and sometimes in turning the plate is broken and tornoff by the undue friction between the reach and said plate. Vith the use of the improvements described the unnecessary expenditure of energy mentioned is saved and the specified troubles, difficulties, and losses are avoided.

The plate 3 may be directly supported by the axle instead of through the medium of the sand-board, and the intermediate means for the support of the plate 3 may consist of other means than the sand-board or means in addition to the sand-board.

The antifriction-rollers and their longitudinal arrangement are important, since it is essential to an eflicient bolster-bearing that it should have appreciable breadth that spherical bodies would not afford.

I claim In a wagon running-gear, the combination, with the bolster and its bearing-plate, of the axle and a bearing-plate for the bolster, the second-mentioned plate having a notch formed in each end, slots in the end of the plate opposite the said notches, inset plates constructed to be fixed in said notches and antifriction-rollers j ournaled in said firstmentioned plate and inset plates.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN R. HALL.

Witnesses:

J. L. VAN KIRK, S. B. CUMMINs. 

